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New class - Jardin de Fleurs

Hi, my name is Sue and I live with my partner in a village in Derbyshire. I love all kinds of mixed media crafting and am never happier than when I'm elbow deep in paint ! I hope you enjoy your visit !

Sunday, 27 October 2013

The new eTeam Picks challenge over at eclectic Paperie has been chosen by the lovely Giovana and for this challenge we would like to see some watercolouring on your projects. I decided to make another card, and I know I should really be getting stuck in to making my Christmas cards now but, for some reason, I felt that flowers were the way to go!

I started with the backround and used the lovely Crafty Individuals Summer Meadow stamp and stamped it with Gesso. Once it was dry I then blended Distress Inks over the top and then wiped over the stamping with a damp piece of kitchen paper. I then used the TCW Time Travel stencil with Peeled Paint DI and did a little spritz and flick too.

I used a piece of watercolour paper for the main image and I spritzed it with some watered down Fresco Finish paint, a little Dylusions spray and when it was dry I spritzed some White Linen Dylusions over it to knock back the colours. The flower is from the Wendy Vecchi Daisy Art stamp set and I've used Watering Can Archival ink to stamp it. Using this colour ink gives the image a more subtle outline. I then watercoloured the flower using Distress Markers.

I dyed some seam binding with Wild Honey Distress stains and die cut the dainty leaves and pounced some Fresco Finish paint on to them. The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Simple Sayings set, and is stamped onto some card that's had DI blended over it. The butterfly is from the gorgeous Petaloo Wild Paprika set and I've brushed a little Treasure Gold over it's antennae.

My little box of Prima flowers and leaves arrived just in time for this card, so I used one of the flowers and painted it with Fresco Finish paints and stamped some script over it using Potting Soil Archival ink. I did the same for the leaves too. I added a little dragonfly charm to the centre to finish.

Giovana has a beautiful project over on the eclectic Paperie blog, so do hop over and take a look.

I hope you get time to join us for this challenge and look forward to seeing your watercolouring !

Friday, 25 October 2013

To start thinking about Christmas ! Every year I always want to be
more organised and have my Christmas cards made in plenty of time, and
every year I just can't bear to sit down and think about Christmas
before October so it's always a mad dash ! So, as we're only just still
in October, I've bitten the bullet and here's my first Christmas card
for 2013 !

I love the traditional side to Christmas so when I spotted this Crafty Individuals stamp it 'jumped' into my basket ! The background is made using a bauble stamp from an old Habico stamp set and I've stamped them using Sepia Archival ink onto cream cardstock. I then stamped the word Noel, which is an Indigo Blu stamp, using Red Geranium Archival ink but I used the second generation technique so that the colour was more vintage looking. I then stamped the next panel with, again, an old Christmas text stamp (sorry I don't know who it's by) using Potting Soil Archival ink and using the second generation stamping technique.

I stamped the main image and then masked it off so I could stamp the Christmas tree with Watering Can Archival ink. The Poinsettia has been die cut using the Tim Holtz die and I've blended Distress inks over it. I then stamped the word Noel again using the second generation technique with Red Geranium Archival ink (really love this colour!). I dyed some seam binding using Distress Ink and added some buttons to finish. So, nice and simple but it gets me off the mark !

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Hello and welcome ! Today I'm sharing my project for the Funkie side of the Frilly and Funkie DT. The current challenge is 'What's your poison?' and the lovely Trace is our host.

Here's what Trace has to say:A Halloween inspired make with a twist, you must use green and black and no orange in your Halloween make.

I was thinking what I could make and while I was pondering saw a lantern and this got me thinking about how I could incorporate a candle into my project. There's quite a lot to share so grab a cuppa and get comfy !

So, welcome to Spooky Street ! I've been wanting to make a project with houses as the theme for some time so I've married that with the candle thought into this project. The houses with windows are wooden Artemio houses and the rest have been die cut using the Tim Holtz Artful Dwellings die.

For the first house I've used Wendy Vecchi's Brick stencil and embossing paste and when it was dry I painted it with Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint. I've made the door using the Tim Holtz Sized Arches die and I've painted it black then used some Crackle Glaze then added the top coat of Fresco Finish. The little handle is a Tim Holtz Ring Fastener and the number is a Tim Holtz Plaquette that I've sponged some Fresco Finish paint over so it's not as white. The trees are Artemio wooden ones and I've painted them with a mixture of Guacamole and Limelight Fresco Finish. I then sponged a mixture of Green Olives and Little Black Fress around the edges. I've also stamped over the trees using the script stamp from the Artistic Outpost French Flight. The next house has been sponged with Fresco Finish paints, then I stamped it using an old Stampin' Up stamp called Sanded then I've used the text stamp from the Artistic Outpost Quote and Quotable set. I've used one of the Filigree corners at the top and bent it around the house. House number 3 has also had the Crackle Glaze treatment and I've stamped over it using the PaperArtsy mini bricks stamp using Watering Can Archival ink. I then stamped the spider and cobweb from the Artistic Outpost Gothic 31 set and stuck vellum to the back of it.

For house number 4, I glued the lock, which I cut using the Tim Holtz Hardware Findings die, to the house and then started to add Fresco Finish paints, wiping them back with a baby wipe to create a shadow around the lock. I added a number which is a Tim Holtz Mini Numerals, I painted it with Fresco Finish paints and then brushed it with Treasure Gold.
House number 5 has been painted again with Fresco Finish paints, I've then stencilled using the reverse Chickenwire stencil with black paint. The main image is from the Artistic Outpost Gothic 31 set and I've stamped it using Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint.
House number 6 has had the Crackle Glaze treatment too and then I've stamped it with stamps from the Gothic 31 set and again I've stuck vellum to the back of it.

The little wooden owl has been painted with Fresco Finish paints and then I've lightly brushed some Little Black Dress over the top and sponged it around the edges.

I stamped the Halloween ticket from the Tim Holtz Odds and Ends set and cut out the above section and blended Pumice Stone Distress Ink over it.

The rat is from the Gothic 31 set and it's been stamped with black Archival Ink, I then cut it out (he had to lose his whiskers, unfortunately!) and then blended Pumice Stone DI over it.

Now as the rules of the challenge are to not include orange on your work my pumpkin has had to be purple ! I've stamped it using Black Soot DI and then sprinkled Sticky embossing powder over it and then used Clear Rock Candy Distress Glitter. For the panel that the houses sit on I've used Wendy Vecchi's black embossing paste and brick stencil and painted it black, when it was dry. I've then used Treasure Gold and brushed it over the raised surface, which you can just about see on the above photo.

The reason for the vellum behind the 2 houses with windows is so that I could light 2 tealights behind them which then light up the windows. I think I've just about captured it on the above photo, but it's very difficult getting a photo that shows it as good as it is in real life.

I have to say I had a real ball making this project and it is now taking pride of place on our mantle place awaiting the 31st October !

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge, you still have a week, and do make sure you hop over to The Frilly and Funkie blog and check out the rest of the DT's fabulous work !

Sunday, 20 October 2013

It's time for the next challenge over at The Fashionable Stamping Challenge and for the next 2 weeks the lovely Dot has chosen a really simple theme of make a card ! Remember we are a stamping challenge so you must include some on your work.

I've mentioned before that I don't make many cards these days so it's quite nice to do one from time to time. It's also quite handy when there are a few family birthdays coming up!
I started with the background and stencilled using Distress Inks and stamped some script using a stamp from the Artistic Outpost French Flight set. I then stamped some masking tape using an Artistic Stamper numbers stamp using Potting Soil Archival ink and stuck it to the card. The main image is also an Artistic Outpost stamp and is from the Think and Wonder set.

The leaves are a Memory Box die that I've rubbed Distress Ink over and the flowers are cut using the Tattered Florals strip die which again I've rubbed Distress Ink over. I dyed a piece of seam binding and added a buckle. A few pearls and buttons and that was it !

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge and do make sure you hop over to the main blog and check out the rest of the DT's fabulous work !

Thursday, 17 October 2013

When I altered a note book for myself, which you can find here, my other half spotted it and said he'd like one too ! So, for my eclectic Paperie DT piece this week I'm sharing the book that I've altered for him.

I started by using The Crafters Workshop Mini Numbers stencil with Wendy Vecchi's Embossing Paste. I let this completely dry before I did anything else. I then started to add layers of Fresco Finish paint, the new blues are gorgeous ! I painted over the word 'book' with Glue 'n' Seal so that it would still be seen after I'd applied the paint. Then I lightly sanded the numbers to highlight them.

You can see more clearly on the back of the book how the numbers stand out once they've been sanded and also I've lightly brushed them with some White Fire Treasure Gold.

The clock is cut from thick cardboard using the Tim Holtz Weathered Clock die. I've painted it then lightly dabbed some Pea Coat FF over it. I've used a Filigree metal piece under the clock hands and coated it with the same paint colours. I painted a shaped piece of chipboard with FF then used Crackle Glaze and then another coat of FF. The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Good Thoughts set and I've stamped it with black Archival ink. The key and the number have also been painted with FF and I've brushed some White Fire Treasure Gold over them. I also lightly brushed some more TG around the edge of the book and over the clock and numbers.

To create the word 'note' I've used Maya Road Bingo pieces, painted them and rubbed TG around the edges and then stuck a Type Charm sticker on each one.

I've now handed over the finished article and I have to say he was very pleased with it !

Monday, 14 October 2013

So, I can now officially let the cat out of the bag ! I am very excited to announce that I will be running my first workshop on the 16th November at the Artist Trading Post in Wirksworth ! A huge thank you to Sharon and Jamie for inviting me, I am so looking forward to it !

Below is a photo of the project that we'll be making, which if you cast your mind back to the PaperArtsy 10th Birthday celebrations, you may have seen that this was my project to join in the fun.

So, if you fancy coming along and getting very painty and inky with me you'll find the details here.

Saturday, 12 October 2013

Today is my turn to share my DT project on the eclectic Paperie blog, so here's just a taster, to check out the full details you'll need to hop over here. To explain the title this started life as the box for my mobile phone !

The current Get Altered challenge is to alter a box, so if you've got an old box that needs some love why don't you join us ?

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

I think I may have mentioned before that my favourite season is Autumn. I just love the colours, so rich and warm and they are also my favourite colours to work with (strangely enough!). Today I'm sharing my DT project for the Funkie half of the Frilly and Funkie team. I am the host for the current challenge and couldn't resist choosing Autumnal colours as the challenge with a twist of using leaves on your project too !

I started with a square piece of greyboard and some chipboard leaves that I picked up from a sale box at a local craft shop. I stuck them to the board using Multi Medium Matt glue, arranging them so that it looked like the wind had picked them up and was carrying them away.

Then I did lots of random stamping onto some brown tissue paper using Fern Green and Potting Soil Archival inks (love these new colours!).

I painted the board and leaves with Vanilla Fresco Finish paint and when it was dry tore pieces from the tissue paper and glued them to the board.

I coated the tissue paper with Multi-Medium Matt glue so that it wouldn't disintegrate when I started to add more paint. I used a babywipe and built up the layers gradually, drying in between colours.

I then used the Wendy Vecchi leaves stencil and more Fresco Finish paint.

I stamped some text using a PaperArtsy Mini stamp and Potting Soil Archival ink. I also did some more stencilling using the Reverse Chicken Wire stencil and the Art Is stencil. I mixed some French Roast and Chocolate Pudding Fresco Finish paint and went around the edges to darken them and frame the project.

I painted a piece of paper from an old book and then stamped the sentiment from the Artistic Outpost Quotes and Quotables set. The crown is a Tim Holtz stamp and has been cut out and then I've used Distress Ink to colour it a little. It's mounted onto a filigree metal piece that I've painted with a mixture of French Roast and Little Black Dress Fresco Finish paint.

I used the Tattered Flower die and cut 2 flowers from metal, then embossed them using the Bubble Texture Fade EF. I then dabbed alcohol inks in various colours on to the metal. I cut lots of leaves from old book paper that I'd rubbed Fresco Finish paints over and for the centre of the flower I used a coconut shell button and dabbed some paint around the edge of it.

I used the same techniques for the small metal flower and I also added a metal leaf that I painted black then brushed Treasure Gold over. The Filigree metal corners have also been painted with a mixture of French Roast and Little Black Dress.

To finish I rubbed some Treasure Gold around the leaves and the edges of the board and spritzed the whole thing lightly with Bronze and Biscotti Perfect Pearls mists, which you can just make out in the above photograph.

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge, there's still another week to go, and do make sure you check out the rest of the DT's fabulous projects here.

Sunday, 6 October 2013

It's time for the next challenge over at The Fashionable Stamping Challenge and for the next 2 weeks Ellie has chosen 'Use a mask or a stencil'. Well this was a really easy one for me as I love using my stencils, the hard part is deciding what to make ! I've not made many cards lately and I needed one for a friend so thought I'd combine it with this challenge.

I started by blending Distress Inks over some white card doing some Spritz and Flick. I then used the Wendy Vecchi leaves stencil with Picked Raspberry Distress Ink.

I used the Mini Spinning Top stencil with more Picked Raspberry DI and the Mini Numbers stencil with Mowed Lawn DI. I then used the Wendy Vecchi Dotty stencil with Snowflake Fresco Finish paint.

I made a panel using more Distress Inks and stamped the Wendy Vecchi leaves with Fern Green Archival ink, using second generation stamping. I then used the Lin Brown Eclectica stamps, stamping onto black card using Fresco Finish paints. For the leaves and tulips I stamped over them with a PaperArtsy Mini text stamp.

I painted a wooden button and also stamped some text over it. The sentiment is from the Tim Holtz Simple Sayings set and is stamped onto card that I blended Distress Ink over.

I hope you get chance to join us for this challenge and do make sure you hop over to the main blog and check out the rest of the DT's fabulous projects.